We Are All Connected To Each Other
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: Scrooge sees the past, present and future through the eyes of other people. Will he learn the values he needs to learn. 3 shot
1. The Lights Of Long Ago

Disclaimer: I don't own Christmas Carol. I'm not Charles Dickens and if I were I certainly wouldn't be writing fanfiction because computers would not have been invented yet

* * *

"I know this place," Scrooge said, "I know this man. Fezziwig. He was a kind man."

"He was more then kind," the ghost of Christmas Past said, "I'm going to take you to a moment in HIS past."

"I assumed this was about me," Scrooge said confused, "He was so good he surely got welcomed no with no trouble."

* * *

Snow swirled around Scrooge and then the scene cleared. Scrooge saw a man who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. He was caked in dust and appeared to have been up all night. There were dark circles around his eyes.

"Is this Fezziwig," Scrooge whispered.

"No," the spirit said, "This is Mr. Wilcox Threadgood. He is in a dreadful position."

"What's his problem," Scrooge asked.

"Just wait and see," the spirit said.

In a flash they were at the bank. It was warm and cozy. It smelled like apple cider.

"Please take a seat Mr. Threadgood," the desk clerk said kindly, "Mr. Fezziwig will be with you in just a moment."

The man nodded. He was offered a warm drink and thanked the desk clerk. The man took his hands out of his pockets just long enough to drink his apple cider. Soon enough a tall, well dressed man with red hair and kind eyes. It was Fezziwig.

"Mr. Threadgood," he said in a kind tone, "Do come in"

The man got up slowly. He was exhausted and looked like he had gone through hell and back. They found themselves in Fezziwig's office. Scrooge watched as Fezziwig pulled up a seat for the young man.

"Now Mr. Threadgood," Fezziwig asked, "What brings you here?"

Mr. Threadgood paused for a moment and blinked the tears from his eyes. Fezziwig handed him a tissue and patted his shoulder.

Mr. Threadgood then took out a broach.

"Here," he said softly.  
"It's a beautiful broach," Fezziwig said furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, "But I'm not sure I understand why you're giving this to me."

"I've come upon some bad luck recently," Mr. Threadgood explained.

"Happens to us all," Mr. Fezziwig said.

"My little girl is ill," Mr. Threadgood explained, "I have the money I owe you but I need to use it to pay for her care so there's no way I can pay back the loan. I realize that I have to turn in my collateral. My child means more to my wife and I and our other children then this broach."

"Mr. Threadgood," Fezziwig said, "I am a father myself. I would do exactly what you were doing in your circumstances. I cannot accept your broach. I am going to cancel your debt. In addition I will pay out of pocket for your child's care and consider the rest of your payments paid in full."

* * *

"He just forgave the debt," Scrooge said, "No questions asked or consequences for the debt!"

"Come," said the spirit, "Let us see another memory."

Snow once again swirled around them and they found themselves in a new place this time. Scrooge was humming happily and sweeping up the place. His eyes caught that of his beloved; the beautiful Mallory Isabella Fezziwig, Fezziwig's daughter. She had dark beautiful curls and blue eyes. Her virtue was what he loved most about her. She was kind and compassionate and always willing to give.

"Ebeneezer," Dick said, "be careful. You nearly ran into the statue."

"Sorry," Ebeneezer said, "It's called being distracted."

"Yeah but if you break the statue it will be called the mop," Dick said sarcastically.

"Look at how young I was," Scrooge whispered, a smile dancing on his face.

"You weren't just young. You were happy," the spirit replied.

"I was happy," Scrooge admitted, "I was **very **happy. That was before..."

"Just watch," the spirit said.

"Good afternoon boys," Fezziwig said smiling, "I assume you each had a good morning?"

"Huh,"Ebeneezer said distracted.

"The market is selling people's milk today," Dick commented.

"Sounds good," Ebeneezer said.

"No it doesn't. It sounds ridiculous. It sounds like your mind is a million miles away," Dick said.

"Sorry. I was just... I'm seeing a friend of mine later for sup and I was just thinking about her."

"This lady must be quite special to you," Fezziwig said.

"Sir," Dick said, "There's something you should know."

"Well I always love to learn," Fezziwig said.

"Ebeneezer is not just seeing anymore. He has been seeing Mallory."

Ebeneezer glowered at his friend.

"We are friends," Ebeneezer said.

"Really? I have seen you take off your jacket and put it on her when it was raining out so she wouldn't catch chill and do not think I have not seen your soft side," Dick said.

"As if you don't have a soft side for those that you l-care very much about-"

"I hate to interrupt the arguing," Fezziwig said sarcastically, "Ebeneezer if I might have a word with you."

"Yes sir," Ebeneezer whispered like the breath of the wind.

"I'll leave you two be now," Dick said existing the room.

"Sit down Ebeneezer," Fezziwig said warmly.

Ebeneezer obeyed and sat down.

"I have no objections to the match," Fezziwig said, "You have become as a son to me. My daughter however means more to me then anyone or anything so I do have some words of wisdom that I hope you will understand and respect."

"Of course sir," Ebeneezer said honestly.

"My girl is not the average and typical lady," Fezziwig said, "She is kind and sensitive. She is beautiful on the inside as much as she is on the out. In this way she is exactly like her mum."

"I know that sir," Ebeneezer said, "That is why I love her. Well it is one of many reasons."

"Do not ever hurt her," Fezziwig said his tone turning serious, "in **any **way. It will be a problem if you do."

"I wouldn't hurt her," Ebeneezer said, "I would sooner harm myself than hurt her."

"You are a good man," Fezziwig said, "Never forget that."

"Come," the spirit said, "We have one more to see."

"No spirit not that," Scrooge said, "I can't bear to see that."

"But see it you must," the spirit said.

Snow once again swirled around them and the scene cleared.

They found themselves at a funeral parlor. Scrooge looked like he was about to be sick.

"I CAN'T STAND TO SEE THIS," he yelled.

"Look in the casket," the spirit said gently.

"I can't," Scrooge said, "If it weren't for me she would be alive."

"She fell into the pool and hit her head," the spirit corrected Scrooge, "You were not at fault for that. It was bad luck."

"I should have rescued her."

"You tried," the spirit reminded him.

"There's a difference between trying and succeeding," Scrooge said, "If I had succeeded she would have been alive."

"My time is short," the spirit said, "It is time for me to return to the spirit world."

Scrooge now found himself in his bed. He looked at the clock.


	2. The Lights Of Today

"You look like Crachit's boy," Scrooge said to the spirit of Christmas present.

"I am what may become sir," the child said softly.

"I suppose there is some kind of lesson you are here to impart," Scrooge asked.

"You take it correctly," the spirit replied.

Scrooge smiled grimly.

"Very well," he said, "Lead on."

He took the boy's hand and in an instant he found himself in a small house. It was Bob Crachit's house. It was dimly lighted. Bob sat on the sofa with his eldest son.  
"Peter I don't understand," he said, "Why would you steal 18 pence? Did we not just have this conversation just days ago."

"You can chastise me all you want father but I will not let our family starve. Tiny Tim especially needs a warm place to live and nourishment to his self. You seem to lose sight of the fact that he is an ill boy and a weakling at that and I will not let the people I love suffer so that I can be more comfortable," Peter said firmly.

Scrooge raised an eyebrow.

"That's a good hearted boy here."

"I won't pretend I don't understand where you're coming from because I do," Bob said, "But Peter it is not your job to worry about the well being of the family. That is my responsibility."

Tears pooled in Peter's eyes.

"It is too much for you father," he said, "I see the way you come home late every night and can hardly hold your head up. I see the way you have been defeated."

"I have not been defeated," Bob argued.

"Really? Because in the past you never would have gotten mad. You would have listened and tried to understand."

Bob sighed.

"If I have been out of sorts lately I apologize," he said.

"Why are you apologizing," Peter asked, "I bear you no grudge."

"You are a fine young man son and I am proud to be your father," Bob said, "We will have further discussion after tea."

"In fact," the spirit said, "It was not Peter that stole the money days ago. It was his younger brother Tiny Tim."

"Tiny Tim is a good child," Scrooge said, "He would never do something like that."

"He **is **a good child," the spirit said, "But even the best child is in fact a child. They do what they feel is good even if it is wrong for they know no better."

"Is Tiny Tim the best child," Scrooge asked.

"Peter took the blame for Tiny Tim in order to protect him," the spirit said, "and it cost Peter. It was a price Peter was willing to pay."

"And you still didn't answer my question," Scrooge pointed out.

"I will answer your question in time," the spirit said.

* * *

In an instant they were at a street corner."

"You see all of these people," the spirit asked Scrooge.

"Of course I do spirit," Scrooge said, "I'm not blind."

"That is a matter of opinion," the spirit replied, "What you fail to see is that one person's behavior affects not just the person he chooses to affect but the whole of us all."

A tiny girl passed by holding her infant brother in her arms. She was ragged and mal nourished. She was also filthy but she was happy. She handed her brother back to her father and gave her mother half of an apple all she would be eating for today."

"This is Nora Jean Mylia," the spirit said, "You evicted her father for lack of funds. Now the family is surviving day to day on the street."

"I... had I thought about how it would affect the family- the children, have they no shelter? Have they no refuge?"

"Are there no prisons," the spirit mocked, "are there no workhouses?"

Scrooge sighed. He was just now beginning to see the folly in his ways."

"Come now," the spirit said, "There is one final thing you must see. It is a beautiful sight indeed."

"Lead on then," Scrooge said.

"Grab on tight," the spirit replied.

* * *

In a flash he found himself in the heavenly gates. There was one there who sparkled and shined but there was no sparkle in his eye. His soul seemed saddened.

"My son," an elderly man (in appearance) said, "There is a party going on. Why are you not celebrating?"

"Father I... I just cannot get my soul into it right now," he said, "For how can I celebrate when she isn't with me?"

"She seems to mean a great deal to you son," the elderly man said.

"I know we're apart but my heart does not let me accept it."

"Go to her," the elderly man said, "Bring her back to you."

"Do you really mean that Father," the son asked.

"I never say what I don't mean son," the Father replied, "If she is in your heart you are in hers."

Finally the young man lit up.

* * *

"But the law says that you have to think the right way," Scrooge pointed out.

"There is the law of the brain and the law of your heart," the spirit explained, "When someone you love is suffering you cannot just stand by and let it happen."

Scrooge's face fell.

"That's what I did with Mallory," he said quietly.

"No,"the spirit replied, "You dove into the icy water to try to rescue her. You didn't just stand by and let her drown. She drowned. You tried to stop it."

"It's still hard," Scrooge said, "I loved her so much."

"My time draws neigh," the spirit said, "It is now time to say farethewell"

* * *

Scrooge now found himself back in his bed looking at the clock. It was 3 AM. He was about to meet the third spirit.


	3. The Lights Of Tomorrow

Scrooge's eyes widened.

"Jacob? Jacob Marely?"

"Yes Scrooge," Marely said, "I am the spirit of the future and I besiege you to learn from what I am to teach you. This is my one and only chance to find myself in the heavenly's as opposed to where I have bided 7 years hence"

"I shall," Scrooge promised.

He would do anything for his old friend.

"Ebineezer I'm not going to show you anything. I am going to tell you something and it is something I never want you to forget."

Marley snapped his fingers and a book appeared.

"The past has already been written. In life you have made many decisions some good and others not so good. You cannot go back and rewrite the past."

"Would that I could," Scrooge replied, "I would never have done things I did had I known what that would lead to."

"Really now Scrooge I would think you to be more wise then that. Do you not realize that your choices have led you to the circumstances you are today. I'm not speaking only of the dismal ones but also of the bright ones."

"WHAT BRIGHT SPOTS," Scrooge asked, "I LOST MALLORY. I LOST EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE THAT MEANT ANYTHING TO ME."

"And you survived it," Jacob said, "You must remember now to show kindness and love. For the lights of tomorrow is written by today."


End file.
